Conservative Party

In a crucial parliamentary vote on Britain's future entry into the European Community or Common Market, Conservative members plus 68 pro-European Labour members voted in favour.

British miners represented by the National Union of Mineworkers came out on strike after its negotiations with the National Coal Board ended in stalemate.

A strike by gas workers caused power shortages in Britain, closing factories, schools, and hospitals.

Labour having come first past the post in the general election of 28 February, Harold Wilson formed his second government (a minority one), replacing ConservativeEdward Heath as Prime Minister.

The Annan Committee began work on its enquiry into the structure, funding, and future of British broadcasting.

The home of Conservative Party leader Edward Heath was bombed, presumably by the IRA , despite a Christmas truce between the IRA and Protestant groups.

The Housing Act passed by Margaret Thatcher 's recently-elected Conservative government came into effect, giving five million council house tenants in England and Wales the right to buy their homes from local authorities

Margaret Thatcher , at her second Conservative Party Conference as Prime Minister, facing the threat of revolt within her party and her Cabinet, delivered a strong speech which proved a turning-point.

Government funding of British universities was savagely reduced by Margaret Thatcher 's Conservative government: a roughly 11% cut across the board rose to 20% at several institutions.

Conservative career politician Baroness Janet Young became Leader of the House of Lords , the first woman to hold this position.

The British Nationality Act reached the statute book, having received the royal assent. It introduced restrictive qualifications for the acquiring of British nationality which were widely felt to be racist in motivation.

Michael Foot , leader of the Labour Party , signally failed in the general election to shake the reign of Tory Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher . He was soon afterwards replaced as party leader by Welshman Neil Kinnock .

The IRA bombed the Grand Hotel in Brighton where the Conservative Party was holding a conference.

In the general election the Conservative Party under Margaret Thatcher retained power, though with a somewhat reduced majority.

The general election returned the Conservative Party under its new leader, John Major , to power, to the surprise of pollsters who had predicted a Labour win.